Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire's population grew in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. Data from the census also show there were changes in jobs, religion and health.

The population passed 120,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Pembrokeshire increased by 7.3%, from about 114,000 to 122,000.

The addition of just over 8,300 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across Wales (up 5.5% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Pembrokeshire was home to, on average, 0.54 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was similar to the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Pembrokeshire

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Pembrokeshire increased by three years, from 42 to 45 years.

This remote area had a slightly lower average age than Powys, a statistically similar local authority area (46 years of age) and the third-highest average age in Wales.

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 4,100 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 14% of people in Pembrokeshire are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in proportion of Welsh speakers

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Pembrokeshire fell from 21% to 19% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

There are 900 fewer people living here who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 9,110.

In nearby Carmarthenshire, 44% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, down from 50% at the 2001 census. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 21% to 19%.

Monmouthshire was one of the few areas that saw an increase in the proportion of Welsh speakers (from 9.0% in 2001 to 9.9% in 2011), while Carmarthenshire saw the largest fall (from 50% to 44%).

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was higher than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Rise in rate of employment

Pembrokeshire saw Wales' second-largest rise in the proportion of employed people.

During this period, Pembrokeshire fell below Gwynedd to become the Wales local authority area with the third-lowest percentage of employed people.

In 2011, just under one in two (46%) people aged 16 to 74 in Pembrokeshire said they were employed, compared with 42% in 2001. The percentage that were unemployed increased from 3.9% to 4.0%.

The largest increase occurred in Merthyr Tydfil (from 44% to 50%).

The rate of employment was lower than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were employed across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Rise in private renting

Private renting increased in Pembrokeshire, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Wales, except Powys.

Across Wales, the proportion of privately rented homes increased from 8.6% to 14% between the last two censuses, while the proportion in Carmarthenshire increased from 7.9% to 12%.

In 2011, just under one in seven (14%) households in Pembrokeshire rented privately, compared with 11% in 2001. The percentage of socially rented homes decreased from 17% to 16%.

The largest decrease occurred in Powys (from 12% to 15%).

Private renting was lower than across Wales

Percentage of households that rented privately across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Religion in Pembrokeshire

The number of people in Pembrokeshire that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 18,000 in 2001 to about 33,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 16% to 27% of the local population.

The percentage increased by less than the average across Wales (from 19% to 32%).

The number of people in Pembrokeshire that described themselves as Christian decreased from just over 86,000 in 2001 to just over 77,000 in 2011 (from 76% to 63%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from just under 8,700 to just over 10,000 (from 7.6% to 8.2%).

About 650 people (0.3%) said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism, up from about 320 in 2001 (0.5%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population without a religion in Pembrokeshire increased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

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